NARUTO Powerful Shippuden Coming to Nintendo 3DS

Upcoming NARUTO Game Brings Over-the-Top Characters and Lively Gameplay for Fans of All Ages.

SAN JOSE, Calif., (December 20, 2012) Leading video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced that NARUTO Powerful Shippuden for Nintendo 3DS™ will be coming to North American retailers in March 2013. NARUTO Powerful Shippuden was developed by Inti Creates with production support from CyberConnect2 Co., Ltd. and brings to the table a side-scrolling action fighting game with an anime twist. The game is based off of the popular anime series NARUTO SPIN-OFF: ROCK LEE & HIS NINJA PALS, the latest series in the hitNARUTOandNARUTO SHIPPUDENanime franchise (all available from VIZ Media), allowing players to take the role of either whisker-faced Naruto Uzumaki or bushy-eyebrowed Rock Lee and enjoy lively ninja missions directly based off of their animated storylines.

Rock Lee’s eyebrows aren’t the only things that are oversized in NARUTO Powerful Shippuden. Similar to the NARUTO SPIN-OFF: ROCK LEE & HIS NINJA PALS art style,the comical animations in the game feature oversized caricature heads and humorous on-screen expressions and actions designed to entertain and appeal to gamers of all ages. The pick-up-and-play gameplay allows even casual and young gamers to enjoy busting out flashy moves and special attacks throughout the game’s various stages. Players will be able to take the ninja brawl from the training fields to the forests to the mountains during both night and day.

”Rock Lee from the NARUTO series is known for his great energy and child-like-enthusiasm, fans will notice that the NARUTO Powerful Shippuden gameplay and character animations truly reflect Rock Lee’s endearing youthful qualities,” says Jason Enos, Senior Global Brand Manager at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “With its comedic presentation working in conjunction with its martial arts action and iconic NARUTO ninja techniques, NARUTO Powerful Shippuden will delight a wide range of fans while providing a great sense of adventure and a pulse-pounding experience.”

NARUTO Powerful Shippuden includes a Story Mode as well as an Endless Battle Mode so players can choose to either follow a progressive storyline or just pull out the punches for a sprightly ninja showdown. The action-packed gameplay allows players to earn experience points to power up their vivacious characters and also use the touch screen to strengthen special attacks. Fans will recognize their favorite characters from the NARUTO franchise such as Kakashi, Sakura, Gaara, and many more; all can be called upon as support characters in the midst of battle. With familiar friends at their sides and ninja moves up their sleeves, players will embark on the journey of becoming a powerful Leaf ninja to knock out opponents or even become a knock-out with sexy jutsu.

NARUTO Powerful Shippuden is rated “E10+” for “everyone ages 10 and above” by the ESRB, and will be available for the Nintendo 3DS in North America in March 2013. For more information NARUTO Powerful Shippuden from NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. please visit http://naruto.namcobandaigames.com. Follow the NARUTO Powerful Shippuden conversation on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Filthierich

For more information and to view free streaming episodes of NARUTO SPIN-OFF: ROCK LEE & HIS NINJA PALS, NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (all rated TV-14), please visit VIZAnime.com and Naruto.com. Subscribers to the Hulu Plus service(www.hulu.com/plus) may also simulcast the latest episode of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN in high-definition an hour after broadcast debut in Japan. Dubbed episodes of NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN are also airing on the all new Neon Alley anime channel(NeonAlley.com).